Artificial limb



Oct. 26, 1943. A. J. HOSMER 2,333,009

ARTIFICIAL LIMB Filed Jan. 8, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l P g in INVENTOR. "I/l Oct. 26, 1943. A. J. HO SMER ARTIFICIAVL LIMB Filed Jan. 8. 1942 2Sheets-Sheet 2 J j aa' cZy/fl INVENTOR.

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whereby many of the Patented Oct. 26, .1943

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTIFICIAL LllVIB Andrew J. Hosmer, Reno,-Nev., assignor to A. J.

Hosmer Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California 1Application January 8, 1942, Serial No. 425,997

" 4 Claims. (Cl. 3-12) My invention relates me new and usefulimprovement in an-artiflcial limb and particularly resides in aconstruction adapted for attachment compact, light, easily and quicklyattached and.

highly eflicient in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of thistype provided with parts which may respond, in-their movements, to themovements imparted to the muscles of the arm.

Another object of the invention is the provi-" sion, in a device of thistype,.of an attachment ford a maximum amount. of comfort and em ciencyin its use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of thisclass having a gripping member which may respond to the flexing of themuscles of the arm for movement into gripping relation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of thisclass whereby lightness and durability may be combined in the structureas well as ease in manufacture.

Forming a part of this specification are drawings in which Fi 1 is abottom plan view of theinvention. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view ofthe invention with parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the invention. Fig. 4 is an enlargedsectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view through the improvement used invthe invention.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a. gripping member used in theinvention.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view illustrating the gripping member in use andshown in side elevation.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation view of fled form of the invention.

Fig. 9 is a top plan of the modified plan of the invention.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view a slightly modiof the modified form of theinvention with parts removed and parts Fig. 11 is a sectional view takenon line I |ll of Fig. 8.

Fig. -12 is a bottom plan view of the modified form shown in Fig. 9.

In Fig. 1 I have illustrated the invention as embodying an annularmember l6 which is split and secured at adjacent edges by the lacing l1about the upper part of the arm above the elbow. Projecting outwardlyfrom the member I6 are supporting arms l8 and I! to which are pivotedthe side plates 20 and 2| of the lower portion ofthe device, the pivotpoints 22 being located when mounted on the arm, at substantially theelbow joint. These side plates 20 and 2| project rearwardly from aframe-work embodying the ribs 23, 24, 25 and 26these ribs beingconnected by the cross-bands 21, 28 and 29; these ribs projectingrearwardly from a cup-shaped formation 30. The construction is such asto lend itself for the formation of the structure from a stamping, from'a single sheet of metal, and bands or loops, 21, 28 and 29 beingoverlapped and suitably secured at their ends-preferably by welding.

Mounted in this frame is a flexible sleeve 3| (Figs. 2 and 4),providedwith-perforations 32 for the purposes of ventilating the structure.Mounted on the inner surface 3| are the layers 33 and 34 of a soft,yieldable material, such as around the stump of the arm, which isinserted in the forward joints and embraced by the sleeve 3|.

When this device is mounted on the arm, experience has shown that thestump may comfortably engage in the sleeve 3| without any unnecessary orundue strain, and without excessive heating of the arm portion.

Mounted on a projection forwardly from the cup-shaped member 30 (Fig. 5)is a supporting cup 36 positioned in which is a ball 31 carried by thestem 38, the stem 38 projecting outwardly through the opening 39, formedin' the forward end of the retainer 38. This stem 38 serves to carry asuitable utensil 40, which may be in the nature of a pressing member,fork, pin or any other desired article. This stem 38 may be I rocked toany desired angle and secured in position by means of V clamp ll andscrew 42.

Experience has shown that a person wearing the device in question mayuse the arm with comfort and with a high degree of effectiveness, theconstruction illustrated making it possible to perform to a large degreethe functions of the natural hand. 7

Projecting outwardly from the cup-shaped portion 30 is a stud 44 onwhich is threaded the wing nut 45. U shaped resilient clip 46 is pro-!vided at one end with the key slot 41 for fitting over the stud 48 andat its opposite end with the bayonet slot 49 for fitting over the stud44 so that the structure may be mounted on the member 30 as illustratedin Fig. '7. Carried by this clip is the U shaped gripping member 50which is of suflicient size as to engage it over the rim facing of themember 50 is preferably lined with some friction material such as rubberor the like so as to avoid undue slipping of the member around the rim5|, while at the same time permitting the necessary travel of the rim 5|of the steering wheel of a vehicle. The inner through the member 50. Theuser by slightly supinator muscles. 'When the pronator "musclecontracts, it rolls the radius bone of the arm over the ulna of the armand turns the palm of the hand inwardly facing .downward. when thesupinator muscle contracts, the radius bone is rolled over the ulnaoutwardly. turning the palm upward. A modification of the structureshown in Fig. 1 is accomplished in the modified form, in order that theactions of the pronator muscles andthe supinator muscles may betransmitted to the tool holder. As clearly appears in Fig. 10, I haveprovided a tool holder 36' seated in which is a ball 31 projectingoutwardly from which is a stem 38'. This ball may be locked in itsvarious positions relative to the holder 36' by means of the V clamp 4|and screws 42'. This holder is not secured to the cup-shaped structure30' and is provided with a stem 52 which is secured to and projectsoutwardly from the axle forming member 53 which is rotatably mounted inthe bearings 54-and 55 mounted in the housing 56, which is carried bythe cup-shaped structure 30' the latter being connected to theframe-work comprised of the member 23 and associated parts. Projectingoutwardly from the axle forming member 53 and extending rearwardly inthe frame-work described are the spaced perforated retainer 86' may berocked on the axis of the member I53 in response to the action of thepronator and supinator muscles, thus making it possible to imitate themovement of the hand in response to such muscles. In this way an artimumcomfort, which is light, durable and of maximum efliciency and at thesame time so arranged that it may be economically manufactured. What Iclaim as new is:

1. A device of the class described, comprisingaan arm-encircling bandadapted for mounting on the upper part of an arm; an arm-encircling bandadapted for embracing the forearm; means for pivotallyv connecting saidbands together; a retaining member; a member positioned in said secondnamed band and movable axially thereof and adapted for snug engagementwith an arm stump; tool-carrying means carried by said retainer; andmeans connecting said last named member and said retainer.

2. A device of the class described, comprising: a band for mountingon'the upper part of a persons arm; a band for embracing the forearm;

means for pivotally connecting said bands together; a.tubular membermounted on said sec- 0nd named band; a pair of curved plates rotatableinsaid second hand, and adapted for snug engagement with an arm stump; aclosure for the end of said tubular member; tool-carrying meanssupported by said closure; and means connecting said tool carrying meansand said curved plates.

3. A device of the class described, comprising:

an arm-encircling member for attachment to the upper portion of an armabove the elbow; an

plates 56 and 61 which are curved and positioned arm-encirclingsupporting'frame for embracing the lower portion of the arm; meanspivotally connecting said frames together at substantially the locationof the elbow; tool-carrying means rotatably mounted and projectingforwardly from said supporting frame; and means within said supportingframe and rotatable relatively thereto and fixedly. mounted on an armstump in said frame and movable in response to the movements of themuscles of the arm stump and connected to said tool-supporting memberfor actuating movement of the same.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supportingframe for embracing a persons forearm; a tool-supporting memberrotatably mounted and projecting forwardly from said supporting frame;and actuating means within said supporting frame and movable relativelythereto and adapted for mounting in fixed relation on a forearm stumpand movable in response to the movements of the muscles of said stumpand operatively connected to said tool-supporting member for actuatingthe same.

ANDREW J. HOSMER.

